Then, now, and counting...

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2019

“I love photography because I could enjoy the memories through the pictures~”. One of my friends said the other day. It is so true to me, too. In fact, it was the very reason I do what I do. As a visual person, I always remember things through images clearly.

Back in 2013, this couple (in the pictures above) came in to the studio for a maternity photo session and a week later the first baby boy was born. Since then, I got to photograph the family every year capturing the growth of the family. The most recent photo session was to celebrate their third’s first birthday few weeks ago. Many times, we met at the studio and their home. When the weather is good, we ventured out to some beautiful locations. I have photographed all three J, M, and G birth, six month, and the first birthday photos. The holiday photos and cards, too! I feel so privileged to be part of this family’s journey as a documenter and their storyteller. The memories will be cherished forever.

I am still editing this special photo session images but quickly wanted to post few collections of my favorite images from the six years. While the couple became three, and then four, and then five, and growing happier together. It is so exciting, wonderful, beautiful, and there is nothing like family!

With all said, here are some of the wonderful occasions to celebrate of life and possibly document with special portrait images.

1. birthdays

2. your favorite season (can be all seasons!)

3. wedding anniversary, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th,…

4. holidays - family or seasonal

5. mother’s day

6. graduation

7. move

8. just because

May is almost passing, which means we are getting close to the later half of the year 2019 already. Whatever you are celebrating this year, congratulations to you and your loved ones. I hope you will make beautiful memories and cherish them.

Until next time,
Kyung

LOVE & TOGETHERNESS portrait special

Happy Valentine’s day my friends~

This time of the year, I have a marathon of celebrations in my family. Both my boys have their birthdays, my wedding anniversary, plus my favorite St. Valentine’s Day all fall into the first half of February. Can you imagine how crazy is to handle all four celebrations in two weeks? Back to back birthday parties and gifts, cakes and goodies… all are fun, but exhausting at the same time! I am so relieved at least half of those are done by now!

What are the things do you do to celebrate Valentine’s day with your loved ones?

Sending messages of love and affection to friends and family? Gifting a meaningful symbol of love, like a beautiful bouquet of roses? Going out for a fancy lunch or dinner? A nice box of chocolates and delicious bag of black tea are my favorites to give and receive. Hand written notes with blueberry pancakes are the old time classic from my boys…

Whatever you do, what you want the most must be to be together and celebrate LOVE with them!!

This Valentine’s Day season, I am thrilled to introduce you a very special portrait experience at Yellowhale Portrait studio to do just that. If you are following my work for a while, you must know my style already. I am drawn to the images that are genuine and uncluttered. It was never about fancy props or busy backgrounds. It is always about the person in front of my camera. While I tried to create the most beautiful portraits that embrace the essence of the person and capture his/her genuine feelings, LOVE & Togetherness sessions were born. Uncluttered background and minimalistic (and flattering) lighting eliminate all the distractions. Every time you look at the images, you will be presented with the true emotion that connects you to the moment you shared. These portraits will bring the most honest beauty, character, and expression of the person you love. Many said that the images beams out who he/she is exactly and that was the moment that they want to remember forever. Because it is done at the studio, no cold weather or snow day matters! Not to mention the portrait special we are running now through 3/30!

If your little one had a recent birthday like mine, or if your 10th wedding anniversary is around the corner, or just because… LOVE & Togetherness session will be a perfect way to celebrate!!!

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LOVE & Togetherness Portrait Special

Now through Mar 31st, 2019 or until the all 7 openings are filled (whichever comes first), you will enjoy the exclusive benefits including:

A Special Session Offer— a $99 session: 45 min studio sessions* now through April 30th 2019 ($300 value).

A Free Gift — receive a free fine art print in 8x10 with any purchase now through April 30th 2018. ($250 value)

** Call 202.870.6773 to schedule your FREE consultation today!

*Must book your portrait session by March 31, 2019. The session fee is due at the time of booking. The fee covers the pre consultation, the photo session, and presentation with Kyung. The session is 45 mins and will produce 15~20 images to choose from. All prints and art products are separate to purchase at a selection meeting. The session must take place now through April 30th 2019. Valid for Thursday - Saturday studio sessions only. Age 6 month and up for children. Immediate family members only. Offer can not be combined with any other offer or discount. All sessions subject to availability and additional blackout dates may apply. There are no refunds, exchanges, or adjustments to previous orders. Normal service charges apply to orders placed after April 30th, 2019. Offer may be revoked at any time.

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Can not wait to see you soon!

xoxo,
Kyung

Best Wishes to You and Yours!

Another year is coming to an end.

Personally and professionally, 2018 was the busiest year of all for us. I am so grateful profoundly to new and old families - and to make wonderful friends at the studio and to have healthy and happy teen boys ( both are taller than me now ~ surprise!) at home.

There are so many reasons to be thankful, but most of all, I want to thank you all for your trust and support. Thank you so much. It became such a sweet ritual to make my yearly holiday ornaments for all our clients this time of the year. When I decorate my Christmas tree with those familiar happy faces, it just remind me of how much love and happiness that there was to capture.

Thank you so much for sharing your life with me. I can not wait to catch up with you in the new year! Wishing you the very special holidays and the most exciting new year!

photo by Wilde Sparrow Photography, Hawaii

Here is my holiday family picture of the year. The picture was taken when we went to Big Island last summer. Like Dr. Seuss said once, "you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory," it is so true every moment counts... and when I look at this picture of us, there are fireworks bursting in my heart with joy and thanks. With all said, I want all YWP family and friends to have the most value of memories to treasure.

Much love from my family to yours.

Kyung & YELLOWHALE

Belly, Baby, and Beyond

These three words that start with B are perfect for what we do with our newborn clients. At first, it did not occur as BBB- but Yellowhale has begun as a newborn baby portrait studio almost fifteen years ago. We’ve have been serving hundreds of babies (many of whom are now in Highschools.) and most of our baby clients stayed with our studio for decade so that we documented how the family grew over time…

It is such an amazing experience for both me and my clients because a. I get to enjoy watching the kids (Obviously!) grow and b. they don’t have to worry about trying to find their old pictures…( it is all with me~). Other than these practical reasons, there are tons of emotional value that we can not describe here. It almost feels like I am part of your family… but takes pictures of the family events for you? I love it!

It all began when I realized how quickly the baby grows (Especially the first year!) and as the baby grow, the family life changes dramatically. I still feel that there is no end of evolving in my family. My boys are almost sixteen and fourteen - they are still adorable, but they are like my friends now. We talk about issues and troubles, too. For sure, they eat more than I do and they are taller than I am. The point is that I miss the little things from when they were little… SO MUCH!!!!

I will write about it in detail when things get slow down a little. I so wanted to remember little details of my boys when they were tiny little babies. How I hold them, and how I adore them… and even how they cried~~~~~ are all precious. Sometimes, I am surprised by Facebook memories pop up with some images from many years back. I don’t even know how I forgot about them? But I did forget a lot of memories (that I thought I would remember forever~).

Back to the subject… As a family photographer, I had many times when I remember more than the mom does about her baby… because I have been visually taking notes from the day one. I suggest to all my newborn clients to schedule multiple photography sessions for the first year just because the baby grow so rapidly. The change is so dramatic, if you blink, the baby will grow into a little human!!!

Here is an example of Susan’s little Girl Magnolia’s first year images. 99 images from NEWBORN, SIX MONTH, ONE YEAR photo sessions. It shows exactly what I mean… by Belly, Baby, and Beyond! If you are expecting, just like any other planning you do for the baby’s arrival, it is really important plan you need to do! How you will document the precious moments of your baby’s first year and beyond…

xoxo, until next time,

Kyung

What I want you to remember...

Hi~ hope all of you are enjoying the beautiful fall season - one of my favorite time of the year. There are only TEN weeks left in the year 2018. Can you believe it? I can’t!!!!

Last night, I was posting a cute little video of a lifestyle session that I did few weeks ago for a good and long time client of mine. She has beautiful three children aged from 6month to five year old and thus we had so so so much fun during the photo shoot. You see, none of us has any plan as everything happens spontaneously. Even if we had a great plan, it was not going to work. Six of us (including the photographer) were just there to enjoy the time together… and here is what it looks like.

Instagram always makes my video in lower quality, I wanted to share it here again with a better quality.

✨CELEBRATING LIFE✨ - if someone asks me what I do for living, this will be my answer. There are so many little things we can cherish only if we can remember... some times, I blame my brain why I can not remember what my my kids said or did that I loved so much at that time. And believe me, I thought I could remember it forever. All those little moments fade away as time went by. When my boys were little, they spoke Korean, and they said the most precious words to each other... and played pretend games.. and jumped up and down giggling.. Most of the times, I “stop” them because it was dangerous, or dirty, or just too loud. Many years later(probably too many), I miss that crazy and wonder-ful time the most. I have two boys that are 15 and 13. And my house is quiet and calm.. I love my boys and quiet house, don’t get me wrong. But you know what? I miss that time so much. I bet you will, too. That’s why, I photograph the LIFE as is. How beautifully amazing it is! I collected about 60 images from a lifestyle photo session to show you what I would cherish if I were the mom for my client and made into a 60 sec video. I call it “CELEBRATION”. See it for yourself, it is truly what LIFE is all about. Love and together!!! That’s what I photograph and what I want YOU to enjoy.

!! little bit of housekeeping stuff~ !!

We are super excited about our Holiday Family Sessions in two weeks (11/3 ~11/4)! We have ONE last opening and if you are interested, please call 202.870.6773 NOW.

If you are interested in getting your family’s LIFESTYLE photography session at your home (or at the studio), there is also ONE last opening in November, so please call 202.870.6773 NOW.

Other than that, enjoy the beautiful season… don’t get carried away by busyness of running around. There is nothing more important than your LIFE = LOVE + TOGETHERNESS!!!

Until next time, XOXO - Kyung